S. Samuel
The high school that was set to host DMX's "gospel rap extravaganza" this weekend has reportedly canceled the show due to the rapper's involvement with the fundraiser.
According to reports, the church that was producing the event plans to reschedule at another venue.
Arizona’s Independence High School — who were to host the performance — backed out, after they realized X was involved. Morning Star Sanctified Church’s Pastor King says that they had everything set to go, even taking out a $1 million insurance policy, but the school just didn’t want to move foward after finding out who the performer was. Independence High School has already agreed to refund the church’s $500 deposit, and now the church will have to refund money to fans who already purchased tickets. However, King says they plan to reschedule the concert. (BallerStatus)
Reports on the concert circulated online earlier this week.
TMZ has learned the oft-incarcerated rapper, real name Earl Simmons, agreed to perform at the Morning Star Sanctified Church for a fundraiser this Saturday — and he’s doing it for free. According to Pastor Barbara King, DMX and his family have been members of the congregation for eight months now and he really wanted to help raise money for repairs. We’re told the school holding the event is amping up security because they’re unsure of what kind of crowd the convicted felon will draw. Tickets are going from $35-$40 a pop. FYI — We’re also told DMX doesn’t swear anymore … so we have absolutely no idea what he’s going to perform. (TMZ)
While locked up in an Arizona prison last year on animal cruelty charges, X said he planned to take a more religious route upon his departure.
“I’m gonna start a TV show while I’m in here, ‘Pain and Perseverance.’ It’s about how I can reach people the average person can’t reach because I’m grounded,” he said in a January 2009 interview. “And then I’m going to give my first sermon in church, that’s gonna be like, incredible for me. I have actually just completed a gospel album. On every one of my albums, there’s been a gospel song and a prayer and of course with the image, they never made those into singles, except for my sixth album. They did “Lord Give Me A Sign” as a single.” (Fox 10 News)
After his release in May 2009, X spoke on being influenced by God to better his ways.
“I feel great man, I feel good man,” X said over the phone. “Doing a lot of praying, lot of people been praying for me. Wanna thank everybody praying for me, all the prayers worked. Yeah man, get back to this music thing. The movies, I got the industry waiting right now. But I gotta say it’s through the grace of God that I made it through this thing, because I’ve been to jail before, jail ain’t really nothing, but here in Arizona is a whole ‘nother situation man. They feed you two times a day, they got you wearing stripes in pink. It’s reckless man. I did some soul searching when I was in there, I actually read the whole Bible when I was in jail.” (“Strawberry In The Morning”)
Check out a past DMX interview below:
